Picture frame



Oct. 15, 1957 e. B. MAYNARD PICTURE FRAME 'Filed Aug. 9, 1954 INVENTOR.

George 8. Ma ynard BY g g?dwm4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent @fiice Patented Oct. 15, 1957 PICTURE FRAME George B. Maynard, Denver, Colo.

Application August 9, 1954, Serial No. 448,497

1 Claim. (Cl. 40152.1)

This invention relates to picture frames, more particularly to picture frames having detachable support or hanger means for supporting the frame on horizontal or from vertical surfaces, and providing means for positioning the frame with any side thereof in the upper position.

In general, the frame of the invention comprises a picture frame having a pair of spaced, symmetrically placed holes in each arm or side of the frame on the back side thereof, and a detachable, generally U-shaped support. The support has two ends adapted to be inserted into a pair of the holes on one side of the frame to provide support means for the frame on the desired base surface. Each arm having a pair of holes thereon provides means for securing the support to any of the four arms and thereby support the frame with any side thereof in an upright position. Furthermore, a picture may be placed in the frame and the frame prepared for hanging without the annoyance of attaching conventional picture wire to the frame. In the simplest form, the support may be a generally U or V shaped wire which is of a size to snugly fit the holes in the frame, and which is bent to the proper angle to support the frame in a desirable upright position on a horizontal surface, and, also, support the frame by hanging from a vertical surface. An indicia is provided to enable the user to initially position the support in the frame.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is a picture frame having simplified support, or hanging means, which is easily and simply attached to the frame. Means are provided so that the support may be attached to any side of the frame for placing any desired side thereof in uppermost position. The support may be utilized for supporting the frame on a horizontal base, or for hanging the frame from a vertical surface. The support, furthermore, provides means for automatically centering and balancing the frame for support.

These and other objects and advantages may be readily ascertained by referring to the description and appended drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a frame according to the invention, showing the back side of the frame with pairs of support holes bored in each side of the frame.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the frame illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a wire support adapted to fit in the support holes illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the support of Fig. 2 illustrating the configuration of the support for providing a desirable upright position for the frame when the support is attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a modified support for a frame which is useful for hanging the frame from a vertical surface.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view illustrating the use of a support with a frame, according to the invention, when the frame is desired in a standing, vertical position.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view illustrating the use of the support with a frame in a standing, horizontal position.

Fig. 8 illustrates the use of the modified support of Fig. 4 for supporting a frame from a vertical surface, and

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view illustrating the support for a picture frame hanging on a hook supporting the picture from a vertical surface.

The frame illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a lower arm 1i) and an upper arm 12 spaced apart and interconnected with a right arm 14 and a left arm 16. The arms are secured together at the corners and provide contiguous perimeter members which border a picture area. A notch or rabbet 17 extends internally around each arm of the frame and provides a recess to hold a plate made of glass, a picture and a backing. The lower arm 10 has a pair of spaced holes 18 therein, symmetrically placed in the arm so that the frame will be balanced when the support is placed therein. Upper arm 12 has a similar pair of holes 20 bored or drilled therein. Likewise, right arm 14 has a pair of spaced holes 22 placed symmetrically in the short side of the frame so as to provide a balanced support, and left arm 22 has a pair of holes 24 placed in a similar position to the right arm. A substantially U-shaped wire support, illustrated in Fig. 3, comprises diverging legs 26 joined together at the apex thereof, and has an end 28 depending from each leg. The ends 28 are bent inwardly out of alignment with the axis of the legs. The distance 36 between the two ends 28 is slightly greater than the distance 31 between each of the pair of spaced holes in the frame. The ends 28 are also toed outwardly, so that when the wire frame is squeezed to align with one of the pair of holes, the ends will be substantially parallel to match the parallel holes. The support is pushed in the holes and the spring tension of the wire provides a grip fit in the holes so that the support is securely held in the frame. The diameter of the wire is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole so as to provide a tight fit therein, and have a tight fitting support. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the ends 28 are bent at an angle to a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of each leg 26, so as to provide a desired resting angle for the frame when it is supported on a horizontal surface. The angle at which the ends depend from the legs, generally, determines the angle from vertical at which the frame rests when supported on a horizontal surface. It is preferable to have the frame balanced on the support a few degrees from vertical to lessen the danger of forward tipping of the frame.

Since the bends in the ends 28 are quite shallow, and not readily apparent, an indicia 32 which may be a spot of paint, ink, a notch, etc., is provided on the'support to show the correct position for inserting the support into the frame. This insures correct placement of the support in the frame. This is an especially valuable feature when the frame is soft wood, to prevent the wearing out or enlarging the holes by moving the support in and out of the holes in trying to correctly place the support in the frame.

The frame may be supported in a vertical, standing position, as indicated in Fig. 6, wherein the support is placed along a narrow or short side of the frame so that it is supported on the short side in vertical, standing position. By securing the support to the frame on one of the long sides thereof, the frame may be supported in horizontal, standing position, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The terms horizontal standing and vertical standing are used to indicate the relative position of the frame. The choice of placement of the support in the frame is, of course, dictated by the particular picture placed in the frame. By supplying four sets of holes in the frame, i. e. one set in each side or arm, the support may be placed on any arm of the-frame, thereby eliminating the necessity of placing the picture in the correct position to accommodate any attached frame supports. With the frame having the four sets of holes, the picture may be placed in the frame in any convenient way, and the support later secured to the frame to accommodate the picture in correct display alignment.

For supporting the frame from a vertical wall, a hook 36 is used for hanging the picture in the Wall, a fiat, broad, U-shaped support maybe utilized to support the frame in near vertical position. The support, illustrated in Fig. 5, includes a U portion having ends 39 set at a similar angle to the ends 28 of the V support, i. e. toed outwardly. Where desired, an indicia 32 may be utilized for aligning'the support correctly with the frame prior to placing the U-shaped supports in the frame. The distance 39 between the arms 39is equivalent to the distance 30 between the arms 28 of the V-shaped support, whereby to provide a snug fit in the pairs of holes in the frame.

The wire frame and spaced pairs of holes provide means for easily and quickly preparing a framed picture for hanging, or supporting from a horizontal base. A wire provides a simple and convenient form for the support, however, other cross-sectional shapes may be utilized, Also, the spaced holes are simple and convenient, but other means for, connecting a similar type of support may be utilized. The support means is attachable to each side or arm of the frame at balance points, or at points which provide support for the frame in an upright balanced po- 7 portions for providing a supporting border around a picture area, said perimeter'portions havingspaced symmetrically placed holes, each being similarly spaced relative to the adjacent edge of the frame, a stifi short bowed slightly resilient support with end 'portions normally spaced at slight variance to the ,spacing of the holes, said end portions of said bowed support each being disposed at a slight angle to the plane of the main portion thereof, and the extremities of such support being slightly smaller than the holes in the frame to insure a tight fit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Denmark Oct. 24,1927 

